


The Ties of Blood and Love

by rachel6141997



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-26
Updated: 2012-09-24
Packaged: 2017-11-08 15:27:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachel6141997/pseuds/rachel6141997
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elaina Penhallow is the daughter of Louise and John Penhallow. When she turns eleven, she goes to Hogwarts and befriends the Golden Trio in their third year.</p>
<p>Who exactly is Elaina, and how is she connected to Harry? Just what is Albus Dumbledore thinking?<br/>Is anything ever as it seems?</p>
<p>And why doesn't anyone notice the obvious till it hits them directly in the face?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Remarkable Resemblance

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Uncovering the Truth](https://archiveofourown.org/works/370587) by [TitansRule](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TitansRule/pseuds/TitansRule). 



> I warn you now, if you have a low tolerance for people ignoring the obvious, avoid this fic. This is going to be one of those times when you know exactly what will happen, and the characters are completely clueless- or obliviated.
> 
> Two, The story roughly follows the plot of the third book, the Prisoner of Azkaban, but then things change, and since I haven't read the books in ages and don't have a copy on hand, don't expect it to be exactly canon.

John and Louise Penhallow were almost normal. The strange dreams and occasional hallucinations were so rare and unalarming that the fact they _weren’t_ normal hardly ever crossed their minds. But there were days when that fact was first and foremost in their minds.

 

This was definitely going to be one of those days. Louise gazed at her eleven year old daughter, Elaina Penhallow, as she appeared to fly around the kitchen. This was probably the worst hallucination she had had in a long time. They had started getting more common when Ellie had turned seven, but she didn’t think she had ever “seen” Ellie do anything as odd as this.

 

She wasn’t quite sure why she was so certain they were hallucinations- a lot of things didn’t add up, like the fact that she, John, and Ellie all had the same visions, and any damage, like the smashed bowl on the floor just now always seemed to remain- but she _was_. And so was John. Ellie was the only one who ever looked doubtful at this explanation, but she followed her parents’ lead. Because, after all, magic didn’t exist, so it followed that what seemed like magic must not really exist at all…right?

 

When Elaina’s flight came to an end, she helped her mother sweep up the shattered bowl. They had just put away the dust pan when the doorbell rang. With a sigh, Louise turned towards the door and opened it, barely managing to restrain her slight gasp at the outlandish person standing on her doorstep. The woman, who wore some sort of green robe and a pointy hat looked just as stunned- almost as though she had seen a ghost.

 

Lou recovered herself- just because this woman was another hallucination didn’t give her license to be rude.

“May I help you, Ma’am?” the woman just kept looking at her for a few seconds, until, a little uncertainly, Lou asked, “Are you all right?” At this the woman came to herself, and apologized.

“I’m sorry, you just reminded me of a former student of mine, years ago. Are you Mrs. Penhallow?”

“I am,” Lou acknowledged.

“I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I am here to talk with you and your family about a rather extraordinary opportunity for your daughter’s education. I realize this might seem rather sudden and direct, but I assure you this is an opportunity you really can’t miss.”

Lou smiled, and said, “Of course. Why don’t we discuss it over a cup of tea? John is out, I’m afraid, but Elaina is here.” Ordinarily, Lou would have been much more alert, but something about this woman was disarming, almost as though they had met before…

 

Professor McGonagall smiled when she saw Ellie, with her long red hair and hazel brown eyes, making the same comment everyone always made.

“She looks just like you, Mrs. Penhallow- except for the eyes, I daresay that…that she has her father’s eyes.” Lou pretended not to notice the slight falter, but stored the information away for later, merely nodded and smiled at the woman.

 

“Now, to start off- have you noticed anything strange happening around your daughter- something you couldn’t explain, perhaps when she was upset, or excited?”

“I have,” Lou said softly. She couldn’t explain why this conversation felt so familiar. “I… John and I, we rather though they were hallucinations…I’m almost inclined to think _you_ are one.” She hadn’t meant to be so appallingly rude, but there was no harm done; the Professor lips merely twitched in what seemed to be genuine amusement.

“I assure you, Mrs. Penhallow, I am quite real. And so is magic.”

 

Lou could almost feel Ellie’s eyes widen in comic disbelief, but she absorbed this information rather well she though, merely placing a hand to her temple, remarking absently, “Well, that explains rather a lot.” Lou _swore_ that McGonagall actually smiled at that- if she manage to get her to laugh, that would be a triumph to tell the boys…wait. Where had that thought come from? But McGonagall was talking again.

 

“I am a teacher at a very special boarding school, called Hogwarts. We teach children who are born with a talent for using and controlling magic- we teach them how to control it, and to use it properly. Magic generally runs in families, but there are also witches and wizards born into muggle- non magical- families as well as children in magical families who don’t have the talent. Your daughter, Elaina, is a witch- and if she had any siblings, there would be a fair chance at them being witched or wizards as well.” McGonagall handed Ellie a letter in some sort of heavy envelope, with green writing on one side, and a strange seal on the other.

She tore into the envelope excitedly, and said, “Ooh, Mum, it says that I have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Can I go, please Mum, please?” Lou shifted uneasily in her chair, thinking about money and magic and other new and complicated and frightening things. As though reading her mind, the professor embarked on a long and reassuring explanation. After Lou and Ellie had asked some questions, and she had performed a few spells, McGonagall stood up.

 

“I expect you shall want to talk with Ja-John about this. I may be reached at this number; please tell us as soon as possible whether or not Ms. Penhallow shall attend. Thank you for your time.” Lou politely showed the woman- the witch!- to the door, and collapsed in the couch.

“Oh dear. What shall I say to your father?”

 

***

 

Minerva McGonagall hurried through the empty halls of the school, barely slowing in time to spit out the password that let her through into the headmaster’s office. Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk, twiddling his thumbs, and shifted his gaze downward to her face, concern evident in his expression and voice.

“Minerva, are you all right? You look quite flustered.”

“Oh Albus, I was visiting muggle-born first years today, and oh, I could have sworn she was Lily Potter. Everything, her face, her voice, the way she bit her lip when she was uncertain- it was all Lily Potter. But it can’t be- Lily Potter is dead, and this woman is Louise Penhallow.”

Albus looked sharply at her, and asked her to tell him everything that had happened. She did so, looking down at her hands, and when she looked up she gasped.

“Albus-!?” It was half question, half horror.

“I’m very sorry, Minerva, but I can’t afford you to know about the uncanny resemblance between Lily Potter and Louise Penhallow. It could ruin everything.” If she hadn’t been so stunned, and distraught form her previous encounter, Minerva might have thought to dodge, or defend herself. As it was, the spell hit perfectly, and the last thing she knew- or remembered knowing- was Albus’s voice, soft and sad.

“Obliviate.”


	2. Fate Cannot Be Denied...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dementor Attack....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long...some where between the laptop getting locked away and writing my own story this took a back seat.... :(
> 
> Again, Not exactly corresponding, b/c  
> 1- Um. AU, including a new character, so well.  
> 2- Didn't have a copy of the book w/ me.  
> 3-When I did, I was far too lazy to actually retype everything said.
> 
> But I hope you enjoy. It isn't as good as the first chapter, but it's a start, and it will get better... especially when Snape meets Ellie....unfortunately not in this chapter.
> 
> Well, Enjoy! xD

 

Elaina Lily Penhallow was horribly, terribly excited. She had been so ever since Professor McGonagall had come, and she rather though it was more her excitement than anything else that convinced her parents to let her go. She had always, secretly, believed that it was magic, and that her parents’ belief in hallucinations was ridiculous (quite at odds with their normal sensibility- ok, she wouldn’t call Dad _sensible_ , but Mum was entirely so), but she loved them, and had never said anything. Now, here was living proof magic existed- and she was going to learn it!

 

She said her goodbyes to her parents at the barrier, which the professor had explained how to get through, and wished that they could come through. _Stupid anti-muggle spells,_ she thought. But she said goodbye, and walked through into another world.

 

It wasn’t as bad as when they had gone into Diagon Alley with Professor McGonagall; but still, even with steam covering much of the platform, the snippets of conversation that drifted through the fog were nothing like those in the muggle part of King’s Cross.

“Mum, I think I forgot the Owl Treats..”

“Oy! Katie! Are you trying out for the Quiditch team this year?”

“Lee, did you bring your spider again?”

“Hermione, get that awful cat away from me!” This last was quite close to her and she jumped, as the fog drifted away to reveal a boy with a face as red ad his hair trying to keep a bushy haired girl between him and a cat that was hissing and spitting with fury.

 

The girl- Hermione- shot a filthy look at the boy and said, “If you had even an ounce of compassion, Ron, maybe Crookshanks wouldn’t hiss at you so.” She picked up the cat, which, after struggling futilely  for a few seconds, gave up, and glared balefully at Ron, eyes glittering golden from a rather squashed looking face. Ron wasn’t done, however.

“ _ME?_ Lacking in compassion? Where’s _your_ compassion, eh? Poor Scabbers is sick already, and your stupid beast is scaring him half to death!”

“RONALD WEASLY, if you think for ONE second you can shame me into  forgetting how abominable you have been behaving to poor Crookshanks, then you-”

 

Ellie chose to tune out their shouting match, which had now begun to garner attention from passerby, choosing instead to focus on the thin black-haired boy who was helplessly gazing at the boy and girl, who she assumed to be his friends.

“Are they always like this?” He looked around, startled, and grinned when he saw her.

“Not usually, no. Bickering, yes. But a full fledged screaming match? Not often. Are you a first year? You seem familiar, but you don’t look older then eleven.”

“Yeah, I am- my parents aren’t magical, though, so I can’t think of where you would have seen me. You remind me a bit of my dad, though.” _A bit, indeed. You look just like him, except that your eyes are green….like Mum’s, come to think of it._

“Right. My name’s Harry- Harry Potter.” He seemed to be waiting, almost glumly for something, but when she just smiled, he seemed relieved.

“My name in Ellie Penhallow - Elaina, actually, but I prefer Ellie.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m a third year, like Ron and Hermione over here- we’re all Gryffindors.”

 

When she looked confused, he started explaining about the four houses, and she barely noticed as they moved onto the train (a feat made easier by the fact that she had already gotten her trunk on board, and was merely carrying her owl), and it wasn’t until they had gotten into the last, almost empty compartment, that Ron and Hermione stopped bickering and noticed her.

“Oh, hello! My name’s Hermione Granger- what’s yours?”

“I’m Ellie Penhallow. I’m first year and…what do they call it…that’s right, muggleborn.”

“Oh, really? So am I. Ron’s family is entirely wizard, and so is Harry’s, on his Dad’s side, anyway, but he lives with his aunt and uncle grew up like a muggleborn.”

“Oh lovely, now she’s caught Hermione’s sympathy, and we’ll have a first year tagging along all the time,” Ron grumbled, and Ellie felt very small. She had rather liked them all, even Ron, but of course they _wouldn’t_ want someone two years behind tagging along all the time.

 

“Oh, shut up, Ron. I don’t know what’s got into you today.”

“Oh all right, but what are you going to do if she’s not Gryffindor?”

“I’ll probably end up Hufflepuff. Or worse, Slytherin,” she said glumly.

“Harry, have you been poisoning the other houses to her? If you have, I swear, I will-”

“Mione, I’ve done nothing, just told her about them! Of course, I _may_ have mentioned the fact that all the Dark wizards have come from Slytherin, or that a certain pustule named Draco Malfoy belongs in it…”

“ _Harry!_ ” But she was laughing, and so were the boys, and Ellie was smiling as she watched them, until the man in the corner stirred in his sleep, and she noticed him.

 

“Hey, who is that?” The trio broke off laughing and followed her gaze to the tired, threadbare man that shared their compartment.

“A teacher- Professor R. J. Lupin,” Hermione said, after a few seconds, and Ron and Harry looked at her incredulously. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, it’s on his suitcase,” she snapped, and sure enough, a very worn suitcase bearing the teacher’s name was sitting on the racks above him.

“Wonder what he teaches?” Ron said, frowning.

“That’s obvious, isn’t it?” Hermione whispered, rolling her eyes. “There’s only one vacancy- Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

“How do you know?” Ellie asked, quietly, almost timidly. Hermione smiled at her.

 

“The position’s empty every year. They say the job is jinxed, because no teacher has ever lasted more than a year.”

“Why not?” Hermione frowned slightly, and glanced uneasily at Rona and Harry.

“Well, usually, I think they just leave, but last year our professor had a… accident with a memory charm, and lost his memory. The year before that… well, he _died_.”

“Well I hope he’s up to it,” Ron said, “he looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn’t he?”

“Ron!” Hermione said, scandalized. Ellie and Harry met each other’s gazes and burst out laughing.

“Shh!” Hermine hissed, and Professor Lupin stirred again, and they grew quiet.

“What’s that noise?” Ron said, for they could now hear a faint tinny whistling coming from Harry’s trunk. He pulled out what looked like a set of spinning glowing binoculars.

“Is that a sneakoskope?” Hermione said, standing up and peering at strange object.

“Yeah… mind you, it’s not a very good one. It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol’s leg to send to Harry.” Hermione raised her eyebrow.

“Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?”

“No! Well…I wasn’t supposed to use Errol, you know he’s not up for long journeys. But how else was I supposed to get Harry’s present to him?”

“Stick it back in the trunk,” Harry said, clearly trying not to laugh, “or it will wake him up.” He nodded at Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed it inside a pair of hideous socks and tossed it in the trunk.

 

“You should get it checked out in Hogsmeade,” Ron said. “They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me.”

“What’s Hogsmeade?” Ellie piped up. “And who are Fred and George?”

“Fred and George are my brothers. They’re twins, and really big on practical jokes. And Hogsmeade is a village just outside the castle. Once you’re third year you can go there on set weekends. They have this fantastic sweet shop- Honey Dukes- and they’ve got everything…pepper imps-they make you smoke out your mouth- and really excellent sugar quills you can suck at during class and make it look like your thinking of what to write next…”

 

“But Hogsmeade’s really a very interesting place, isn’t it? I read that the Shrieking Shack’s supposed to be an excellent place to visit-“ Hermione practically squealed.

“And chocoballs, filled with mouse and cream-“

“Won’t it be nice to get out of school and explore?” Hermione said to Harry who looked glum.

“I expect it will; you’ll have to tell me all about it when you get back.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t go. My uncle never signed the form, and then I blew up Aunt Marge..”

“You blew up your Aunt?!” Ellie yelped.

“She’s not really my aunt…” The four students looked at each other and laughed.

 

Just then the door opened and a blonde, pale boy slipped inside, drawling, “Well look who it is, Potty and the Weasel.” He was flanked by two _huge_ boys on either side, who chuckled and scowled menacingly.

“Draco Malfoy,” Harry spat, with undisguised loathing. The pale boy ignored him.

“Hey, Weasley! I heard you came into some money this summer. Did your mother die of shock?” Ron jumped to his feet, knocking the cat―Crookshanks?― wicker basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort, and Malfoy jumped, steeping back.

 

“Who’s that?”

“New teacher,” Harry said, getting to his feet as well. “What were you saying, Malfoy?” The boy sneered and left, rather quickly.

“I swear, if he gives me one more gaff about my family, I’ll-“Ron made a violent twisting gesture in midair.

“Ron!” Hermione hissed, gesturing to Lupin. “Be careful…”

 

From then on, the four kept their voices down so as not to wake the man, who Ellie felt looked as though he could really use a good sleep.

 

***

 

“We must be nearly there,” Ron said, and, sure enough, the train began to slow. But Hermione glanced at her watch and frowned.

“We can’t be there yet.”

“Then why are we stopping?” Harry got up and poked his head out the compartment door. Suddenly, without any warning, the lights went off.

“What’s going on?” Ron’s voice came from very near Hermione, and she felt a pain in her foot.

“Ouch, Ron, that was my foot!”

“Do you think we’ve broken down,” Ellie said, from somewhere to the left of Hermione.

“I don’t know,” she said uneasily.

 

“There’s something moving out there,” Ron said. “I think someone is boarding…” She heard the compartment door slid open.

“Hello? Anyone here? Ouch!” Neville’s voice filtered from the floor.

“Hello Neville,” Harry said.

“What’s going on, Harry?”

“I dunno, sit down.”

“I’m going to find the conductor,” Hermione said, and slid open the door, only to gasp in pain as she collided with someone.

“Who’s that?” she called.

“Who’s that?” a familiar voice said at the same time.

“Ginny?”

“Hermione?”

“What are you doing?”

“I was looking for Ron-“ “Come in, sit down.”

“Ouch!” Neville said.

 

“Quiet!” Professor Lupin had woken up at last. His voice sounded hoarse, but when he conjured flamed in his hands- _ooh, nice work,_ some part of her cooed- his eyes were alert and wary. “Stay where you are.” He moved towards the door, but it slid open, and the most _horrible_ figure walked through. It was hooded, and drew in one rattling breath-

 

Hermione was five years old, and standing in the middle of a street as a car hurtled towards her- She was nine and crying because no one was her friend, and it wasn’t her fault she could do strange things- she was eleven, and heard Ron’s voice say, “No wonder she doesn’t have and friends. I don’t know how they could stand her.” She was twelve and peeking around the corner with a mirror, and was horrified to see a yellow eye stare back…

 

She blinked away the images as Harry moaned and collapsed. Lupin steeped over him, and said, “None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks, go back to Azkaban.” The thing didn’t move, and then Lupin said something, and a silvery thing chased the monster away. Hermione feel to her knees and shook Harry.

“What happened? Who was screaming?” he said dazedly.

“No one was screaming…”

“But I heard-“ _Snap!_ Lupin handed Harry a piece of chocolate.

“Eat it, it will help.” He handed out pieces to everybody.

“What was that thing?”

“One of the dementors of Azkaban. Eat, it will help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…” and with that he left the compartment. Harry seemed shaken, and kept asking what happened. They explained.

“Did anyone else, er, fall off their seats?”

“No, but Ginny was shaking like mad…”

Lupin returned and said, with a small smile, “I haven’t poisoned that chocolate, you know…” Hermione bit hers and felt warmth spread throughout her body.

“We’ll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes. Are you all right, Harry?” He said kindly. Harry reddened and muttered something. Lupin watched him for a moment, then looked around. His eyes landed on Ellie, and his mouth opened slightly. She looked at him nervously.

“What’s your name?” He said softly.

“Elaina Penhallow, sir.” Lupin shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Miss Penhallow. You reminded me of someone I used to know, years ago.” His voice trailed off, and they didn’t say much after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> COMMENT PLEASE!!!! EVEN IF ONLY TO TELL ME HOW MUCH YOU HATE IT!!! 
> 
> And reviews, that actually tell me something, please.  
> Problems? What are they? Love things? What, and Why?
> 
> Comments are food and drink to the writer.
> 
> Also, sorry about the end feeling so fast paced,  
> I just couldn't bring myself to flesh it out more...It's an off day, and if I don't post now, I probably never will, sadly enough.


End file.
